Quentin Blake knighted in Honours list

Illustrator Quentin Blake is among the book trade figures who have been recognised in the New Years Honours List.

The artist, who provided illustrations for Roald Dahl’s stories as well as creating artworks for David Walliams’ successful children’s books, has been made a CBE for his services to illustration. He is also recognised for his work is commissioning art in hospitals, and his contribution to the House of Illustration, a permanent museum to which he has pledged his entire archive.

Other figures who have been recognised include librarians such as Zwi Rabin, the founder of the Jewish Lubavitch Library in Stamford Hill. He has run the library for 40 years, and been given an MBE.

Academic and author Dr Lisa Appignanesi has been given an OBE for services to literature, while Douglas Matthews received the same honour for his work as an indexer.

Another illustrator, John Batchelor, was made an MBE.

Blake told the press after being told of his award: “The funny thing is that my books are published a lot in France and Germany and I get a lot of letters from people there who think I have got it already, so I suppose this kind of regularises it. I haven't quite got used to it yet, but I'm very pleased about it. I've already had an OBE and a CBE. I think of it as quite a nice 80th birthday present. But I think it is even more valuable to me because it is for things that aren't finished - it relates to projects that are still ongoing.”